A former Royal Marine who deliberately drove into a crowd of Liverpool FC fans during a victory parade, causing "a scene of devastation" and injuring at least 134 people, has been sentenced to 21 and a half years in prison.
A Day of Celebration Turns to Horror
On May 26, 2025, Paul Doyle, a 54-year-old father-of-two from Croxteth, accelerated his Ford Galaxy into packed crowds on Dale Street and Water Street in Liverpool. Fans celebrating the football team's win were thrown over the bonnet, trapped under the wheels, and scattered in terror. Among the injured were a six-month-old and a seven-month-old baby.
The five-month-old baby, Teddy Eveson, was thrown 15 feet from his pram after Doyle drove into it. Miraculously, Teddy was uninjured. His parents, Sheree Aldridge and Dan Eveson, who had dressed him in a tiny Liverpool shirt for the occasion, described the moment of sheer terror. Ms Aldridge said she thought she was going to die and believed her son was dead.
The Dashcam Evidence and a Deliberate Rampage
The prosecution's case was heavily reliant on Doyle's own dashcam footage, which was described as "the most graphic and distressing footage" police had ever encountered. The Crown Prosecution Service labelled his actions an "act of calculated violence."
In the video, which will not be released publicly, Doyle can be heard screaming "get out the f****** way" as he repeatedly accelerated into groups of people. Judge Andrew Menary KC, jailing Doyle at Liverpool Crown Court, stated the footage showed Doyle "quite deliberately accelerating into groups of fans time and time again."
The judge concluded the rampage was "not a result of momentary recklessness" but a deliberate act where Doyle "lost his temper in a rage" and was "determined to force your way through the crowd regardless of the consequences." He admitted intending to cause serious harm, even to children.
The attack only ended when a member of the public, Daniel Barr, heroically entered the vehicle and put it into park after seven minutes of destruction.
Lasting Trauma for the Victims
Doyle, who sobbed in the dock, pleaded guilty last month to 31 charges, including dangerous driving and multiple counts of causing and attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent. The court heard numerous victim impact statements detailing the profound physical and psychological scars.
Jack Trotter, 23, saw his promising football career ended by his injuries. David Price, 44, who was in Liverpool to celebrate the end of cancer treatment, said the trauma had taken him to a "darker place" than his cancer battle. A 16-year-old victim reported waking at night hearing a car coming towards him, while the mother of a 13-year-old girl said her daughter is now anxious in crowds.
Other victims described life-altering injuries. John Davey, 31, who fractured his spine in three places, said he "cannot see a future without pain." Robin Darke, 62, endured five operations and is now permanently scarred.
DCI John Fitzgerald of Merseyside Police said Doyle's "total disregard for the safety of others—particularly the many young children present—is beyond comprehension." He added it was "sheer luck that no lives were lost."
Police officers at the scene also spoke of the horror, with Sergeant Sadie Harker calling it the "single most traumatic event" in her 22-year career. Doyle was recorded in a police van stating, "I've just ruined my family's life."
